“Contractual agriculture involves the establishment of a collaborative partnership among farmers, landowners, and the government.”
Farmers will no longer need to ponder their crop choices for their fields, as the groundwork for a new era in agriculture is being set. The initiation of contract farming is now underway.
In response to the growing food supply challenge, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has taken proactive measures. The initial move towards planned agricultural production was taken through the “Draft Regulation on Agricultural Production Planning” several months ago. As part of this initiative, Turkey will conduct an agricultural census, a significant step that hasn’t been taken for 22 years.
Ömer Demir, President of the Istanbul Branch of the Turkish Farmers and Stockbreeders’ Association (TZOB), commented on contract agriculture, saying, “Contract farming is an indispensable element of our strategy, and it represents a well-thought-out plan. For instance, if I’ve just planted wheat, the government may advise me to plant sunflowers in that field. They would commit to purchasing sunflowers at a specified price and offer support even if sunflowers are not planted. I will then adjust my planting accordingly.”
The agricultural census, supported by the Turkish Statistical Institute’s infrastructure work, will commence through a protocol signed with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. It will provide valuable insights into contracted production by recording agricultural enterprises, product-specific land usage, livestock numbers, agricultural employment, mechanization, enterprise categories, and economic scale.